Sew a felt Christmas stocking with kids

Age: 7+ · Time: 90 min · For: Ages 6–9 Ages 10–12

A Christmas stocking you sewed yourself is something you keep for a lifetime. This felt stocking is a great first sewing project: felt does not fray, the stitches are big and simple, and the result is sturdy enough to hang by the fireplace or on the bedroom door.

What children do, where you help

Children: draw the pattern, decorate and sew.
You: cut the felt with sharp fabric scissors and help when the thread tangles.

Tips

Short thread: an arm's length is enough. Long threads tangle.
Mark the stitches with dots of chalk for an even line.
Personalize it with a felt name or initial.

Safety

Teach children to put the needle back in a pincushion after use and to keep pins in a small box.

You need

2 pieces of felt of about 12 x 16 inches (red, green or gray)
a strip of white felt for the cuff
scraps of felt in other colors, for decorating
thick yarn or embroidery floss
a large needle with a big eye, such as a darning needle
a sheet of newspaper or wrapping paper for the pattern
fabric scissors and ordinary scissors
pins and a pencil or tailor's chalk
a 6-inch ribbon for hanging
fabric glue (optional)

Steps

Draw the pattern: on the paper, draw a big boot shape about 14 inches tall and 6 inches wide at the top, with a rounded toe. Cut it out.
Lay the two pieces of felt on top of each other, pin the pattern on and cut around it through both layers. A grown-up can help with the fabric scissors.
Decorate the front piece before sewing. Cut stars, a tree, a snowflake or the first letter of your name from felt scraps and stitch or glue them on.
Thread the needle with about an arm's length of yarn and tie a big knot at the end.
Pin the two pieces together, decorated side out. Sew around the edge with a running stitch (in and out) or a blanket stitch (over the edge), about ½ inch from the edge. Leave the top open.
Finish with a few stitches in the same place and a knot on the inside.
Glue or sew the white cuff around the top, and sew the ribbon loop into one top corner.

Questions

Which stitch is easiest?

Running stitch, in and out in a straight line, is the easiest. Blanket stitch looks lovely on the edge and is a good next step for children who have practiced.

Can younger children make one?

Children of 5 or 6 can make a smaller stocking if a grown-up punches holes along the edge first, so they only need to thread the yarn through.